Region 11591 [N07W62] was quiet and stable.
Region 11593 [N15W18] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11594 [S30W27] was quiet and stable.
Region 11596 [N07E18] displayed no significant changes and remains
capable of producing an M class event.
Region 11598 [S12E57] has a strong magnetic delta
structure in the large trailing penumbra. Further M class flaring is likely.
Flares: C6.3 at 16:03, major M5.0/1F at
18:51 UTC as well as a few small C class events. The region was the source of a
major X1.8 flare at 03:17 UTC on October 23.

Spotted regions not numbered by NOAA/SWPC:S2000 [N12W26] decayed slowly and quietly.S2001 [S20W17] was quiet and stable.S2004 [N18E07] was quiet and stable.
New region S2006 [S11E85] rotated into view with a single spot.
New region S2007 [S35E35] emerged with a tiny spot.
New region S2008 [N04W05] emerged with a tiny spot.

A northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH542) was in
an Earth facing position on October 17-18.

The above coronal hole map is based on a method where coronal holes
are detected automatically. While the method may need some fine tuning, it
has significant advantages over detecting coronal holes manually. The main
improvement is the ability to detect coronal holes at and just beyond the solar
limbs. Early results using this method for SDO images over a span of several
weeks indicate a good match between coronal holes observed over the visible
disk and their extent and position at the east and west limbs. Note that the
polar coronal holes are easily detected using this method, the extent and
intensity of both CHs are consistent with other data sources.

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths
north of due west over high and upper middle latitudes is fair to good. Propagation on
long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.

1) Effects from a coronal hole could reach Earth within the
next 5 days. When the high speed stream has arrived the color changes to
green.
2) Effects from a CME are likely to be observed at Earth within 96 hours.
3) There is a possibility of either M or X class flares within the next 48
hours.

When available the active region map has a coronal hole polarity overlay
where red (pink) is negative and blue (blue-green) is positive.

Data for all numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary
provided by NOAA/SWPC. Comments are my own, as is the STAR spot count (spots
observed at or inside a few hours before midnight) and data for regions not
numbered by SWPC or where SWPC has observed no spots. SWPC active region
numbers in the table below and in the active region map above are the historic
SWPC/USAF numbers.

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at
2800 MHz.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder
(NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days). The
official SIDC international sunspot number is typically 30-50% lower. 2B)
Boulder SN current month
average to date. 2C) STAR SDO 1K Wolf number 30 day average.
3) Running average based on the quicklook and definitive Potsdam WDC ap indices.
Values in red are based on the definitive
international Potsdam
WDC
ap indices.

This report has been prepared by Jan
Alvestad. It is based on analysis of data from whatever sources are
available at the time the report is prepared. All time references are to the
UTC day. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

SDO images are courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science
teams.